Hi all! I've just released Build 344, which has a couple big changes. There's also been a few other updates since the last post, so here's an overall update:

The RPG-style dialog boxes I've been hinting at are now live. Right now, they're only visible when you read a sign, but in the upcoming major Quests update, they'll play a big part in NPC dialog:

Framerate Boost: I know a lot of people have had issues with framerate. I've done some pretty major changes to the engine rendering subsystem, which on my laptop has actually nearly DOUBLED the framerate. Additionally, there was an issue which caused framerate to leak as you explored the world. I've found the source of that issue and fixed.

Easier use-key: You no longer have to look at signs & doors, and they have a larger radius -- this makes using them with the E key much easier

Server migration: We're now up and running on a new server. Performance should be about the same, possibly slightly faster.

Well, that's it for now! Look forward to the upcoming Quests update -- it should be a lot of fun. I've finished most of the engine code for quests, and now it's mostly up to me making quest content. In the meanwhile, play 8BitMMO and don't forget to tell your friends

I've added edge shading to the latest build, 298 (click here to play). It's not perfect yet, but it's actually quite handy for seeing which items are on which height levels. I also made a small optimization to lighting to help render somewhat faster, although there are additional optimizations to speed this along.